No matter the distance
by vestibuledreamland
Summary: Atobe struggles to fill in that increasing gap...watch in sneak peaks how he manages to fill it. Atofemryo.. oneshot...Please read and review.


It was a windy day like always, in their small town. He had called her to meet him, he needed to give her something...

"Yo monkey king. What did you want?", asked Ryoma rudely while the wind played with her hair. She was 15 years old, taller, and more beautiful then he remembered.

Atobe snorted, but didn't comment on the nickname. He reached in to his pocket and pulled out a dog tag necklace, it was silver and black and had a monkey with a crown on it. Looking at it one more time he held it out to her, "Here, I'm leaving soon so..."

Ryoma stepped closer to him and grasped it gently in her hands. A sad look now present on her face, it seems Atobe leaving was a touchy subject. "When are you leaving?"

"In a week."

Ryoma looked up at him shocked, she had thought it was later. She looked down at the necklace and clutched it tightly in her hand. The wind whistling as it rustled her school uniform, she watched as it dance around Atobe's purple-grey hair. She looked in to his striking blue eyes and noticed they were glistening.

"Oh."

Ryoma had decided that day it was okay to be a little emotional, or maybe that was just the denial talking as the tears slowly slid down her face. Atobe took his step and wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him, grief stricken on her face and let him kiss her.

"I don't want to leave." Funny there was no hint of arrogance in that broken whisper.

Atobe Keigo knew he would miss her, the 16 year old just didn't know how much.

Later that night the wind began to howl.

-Break-

She's just an ordinary little kid, thought one 10 year old Atobe Keigo. His mom had called Echizen Ryoma a cute little girl, she was the new kid in his grade 4 class. To him she was nothing special, normal black hair, brown eyes, nothing out of the oridnary for a Japanese person. Unlike him of course who had very different charactestics.

Either way the brunet was annoying, the little 9 year old was rude and arrogant. She never seemed to care what he was doing nor about his gloriousness. Well the brat can just wallow in her loneliness and angstyness for all he cared.

Atobe turned his head with his arms crossed in his thinking he hadn't notice that new kid he was just thinking about was looking at him. Finally noticing Atobe asked, "What?"

The little girl didn't say anything, and Atobe noticed it was a breezy day. The wind gently lifted her hair and he noticed it wasn't really black, more emerald tinted. The girl smiled and Atobe realized she was prettier then first conceivied.

"Nothing, Monkey king."

Although Atobe was furious at his newly christened name, he knew they both new a wonderful friendship had started.

-Break-

It was at the age of 25 Atobe figured out just how beautiful Ryoma was. Well having her lying next to him her hair sprawled out on his pillow and the window open, letting a nice cool breeze waft in the room helped. It'd had been a long time since they were together like this and Ryoma still had that monkey necklace he gave to her around 9 years ago.

Atobe reached over for it and began to play with it, Ryoma began to stir in her sleep, and Atobe watched as long eyelashes fluttered open. "Mornin.", she said in breathy whisper. Atobe just smiled and kissed her forehead.

Sitting up Atobe asked, "When are you going back?"

Ryoma sat up to frowning a little at the question, "Tomorrow, I have to get back to Tokyo." Atobe was currently living in Hokkaido, but he had plans to move back to Tokyo. He just didn't know when.

"My parents want me to meet him.", said Ryoma quietly. Atobe just glanced at her, he knew this was coming. Ryoma's parents had arranged for her someone they want her to marry. She had to go back to Tokyo to meet him and his parents. Atobe knew it was still uncertain if they were actually going to get married, but he couldn't help being angry at the situation.

Leaning on Ryoma Atobe put his head on her shoulder, "Don't go."

Ryoma rested her head on Atobe's and began to stroke his hair, "Mmm." The two just sat like that for awhile, but they knew the next day Ryoma would board that train and they wouldn't know if they would ever see each other again.

-Break-

Atobe was a curious 13 year old. He always wondered what that strange feeling was he got for his best friend. His best friend was Ryoma, who grew up to be a very cute girl indeed. And for some reason when he saw her his heart would beat just a little faster, and things would get a little hazier. He may not know what these feelings were, but he knew they were Ryoma's fault.

It was rather breezy outside noticed Atobe as he walked home with Ryoma. It was the usual walk to her home than to his own. The street lights of their small town lit up the streets and Atobe watched Ryoma's hair in the wind while he walked behind her. Her hair which always used to be up was now down for a change, and Atobe rather liked it like that.

Suddenly Ryoma stopped and Atobe walked past her, he noticed she had really nice looking soft pink lips. "Oi, why'd you stop?"

Ryoma didn't say anything, but she pointed at the cherry blossom tree. The tree looked around ready to start blooming and Atobe knew spring had always been Ryoma's favorite season.

Turning around to look at her Atobe realized her lips reminded him of cherry blossoms. In order to satisfy his curiosity he leaned down and softly placed his lips onto hers. Pulling back he saw the shock on her face and the faint blush.

"Ore-sama was curious.", was all he said then turned around and continued walking.

Ryoma brought a hand up to her lips and sighed.

-Break-

"Aren't you scared?", asked Kyoko a girl in Atobe's class. A now 18 year old Atobe gave her a strange look, him scared never. The girl wanted to know if he was scared he was going to fail his college entrance exam. He lived in Tochigi and wanted to go to a school in Tokyo. It was where Ryoma wanted to go to college.

"Not really."

Atobe looked out the window, he wondered absentmindedly what Ryoma was doing right now. He had just called her yesterday and she said she would call tonight. Their realtionship seemed to drift slightly after his move 2 years ago. But it was now time to think about college exams and Atobe let thoughts of her drift to the back of his mind.

"You ready to go?", asked Kyoko. They live in the same direction so they would always walk home together. Atobe was about to answer when his phone rang, he reached to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey.", it was Ryoma he had forgotten there was a slight time difference between them. Besides it was around 7 here. Ignoring Kyoko's question of whose that, Atobe climbed up on to the grassy hill and sat down.

Kyoko watched him but didn't follow, she stared on as he had a long and seemingly animated conversation with his mysterious girlfriend. The night breeze cooling the sky, Kyoko sighed and went to sit next to him. Atobe put his phone down and looked at her.

"So you going to tell me who that was?", she asked resting her head against her knees.

Atobe didn't say anything, but it was 3 years later Kyoko got to meet this mysterious person.

-Break-

Atobe at 30 years old never knew a person could run that fast. He had just heard about Ryoma's divorce and came to Tyoko as fast as possible. Even after 5 years he still hadn't moved. Not after attending the wedding.

But all that wasn't important right now, after all the struggles of trying to see her, he finally could. Nothing could stop him, not right now, not the distance, not the time, and not even Ryoma herself.

With a sigh he was finally here at her apartment, he decided to give her a call. It wouldn't do to drop in unannounced.

5 minutes later Ryoma finally stepped out, her golden eyes wide at his appeareance. Atfter all they didn't have a proper conversation since 2 years ago when she got married.

"Why are you here?", she asked quietly. Trying to hide the happiness, clutching the now scratched monkey necklace.

Atobe remembered she still it had that time in his bed.

"Cus, I love you.", and when he said it the wind said it with him. The next thing he knew Ryoma tackled him, hugging him tightly her hair flying with the passing breeze.

"love you too.", he heard her mumble in to his suit.

And they kissed, a searing one, for they finally could be together. No matter the distance.

-Break-

A 20 year old Atobe stared out the window of his college classroom. He saw a shock of emerald hair and the bright golden eyes out the window. Ryoma was finally here.

"Hey monkey king.", she said as the wind pushed her hair on to her eyes. Atobe walked over to her smiling and noticed the necklace. His smile broke in to a grin at the sight and gently pushed her bangs out of her hair.

"I missed you.", he said it like he meant it. Even though now that they live in the same place it had been only 2 days since he last saw her.

Ryoma took his hand in to her's and leaned in to him, "missed you too." Ryoma would always mumble.

And the 2 walked hand in hand in to the fluttering wind the cherry blossoms drifting towards the ground.

Complete bliss was all they felt, not caring for what was to come, because for the time being they had each other.

-Break-

Atobe sighed and put down his coffee the now 45 year old enjoyed reading the news paper. Especially in bed, where next to him he had his loved one the monkey necklace still around her neck. Along with a beautiful wedding ring.

Atobe heard the crying in the next room over and got up to comfort his third child, his beautiful baby girl. Sure she cried a lot, but it was better than dealing with his very angsty son. Who even at the age of 13 was still a momma's boy. But then there was also his hyper active little 6 year old.

He rocked his little girl, but the crying wouldn't cease. It was then he saw Ryoma, she came in looking tired. She took their baby girl from his arms and began to softly hum her to sleep. Atobe smiled, she really did become a good mother.

Life was good.

-Break-

Life just got better when he saw the happy smile on his sons face when he got married.

-Break-

That feeling faded when his daughter got married.

"My baby!"

-Break-

All in all throughout the years Atobe learned, never to give up your love. Because someday it just might make it.

"No matter the distance.", he whispered in to Ryoma's hair as he wrapped his arms around her. She just smiled and griped her necklace.

-Break-

A/N:Well that's the end it's just a one-shot after all. I know some of it is confusing because it's not in the right order well that was on purpose.

Okay so when Atobe moved away, he moved to Tochigi. He wanted to go to a school in Tokyo because that's where Ryoma was going. So at age 20 they meet up there. When he he finished at age 24 he got a job in Hokkaido, while Ryoma stayed in Tokyo. She gets married 2 years later, when Atobe is 27. By 30 she's divorced so Atobe comes to find her. They get married and at 45 have 3 kids. At end they can be any age you want.

The kid part is self explanatory and as for how they became friends. Atobe can't resist talking to someone who dares insults him.

Thanks for reading, and please review!

Till next time... 


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